This page will contain external links about Ella Fitzgerald, as they become available.Ella FitzgeraldElla Fitzgerald photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1940Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella, was one of the most important jazz singers, and the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards. Gifted with a three-octave vocal range, she is noted for her purity of tone and "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. She was born in Newport News, Virginia, USA and raised in Yonkers, New York. She was left on her own as an orphan at age 14. Her singing debut was at age 16 in 1934 at the Harlem Apollo Theater, New York, in one of the earliest of its famous "Amateur Nights", which she won, adding fame to both the Apollo and herself. She was noticed by Bardu Ali of Chick Webb's band, who persuaded Webb to hire her. She started singing with Webb's Orchestra in 1935, in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. She recorded several hit songs with them, including "(If You Can't Sing It), You'll Have to Swing It", but it was her version of the nursery rhyme, "A Tisket A Tasket" that launched her to stardom. When Chick Webb died in 1939, the band continued touring under the new name, "Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra." She began her solo career in 1941. Started as a swing singer, she encompassed bebop, scat, and performed blues, bossa nova, samba, gospel, calypso, and Christmas songs. Ella's later concerts were often enriched by some hilarious imitations of other singers: in particular, she was able to render quite perfectly Marilyn Monroe's voice and typical gestures, as well as Louis Armstrong's. Among her best known recordings was a series produced by Norman Granz of the songbooks of the great American popular composers, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin (with Nelson Riddle's orchestra), Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, and Duke Ellington. With Ellington's band, Lady Ella (as she was now called by other singers) toured Europe and North America, classically opening their shows with the famous Ellington's hit "Take the 'A' train", of which she was one of the few to sing - in her unique way - the little known lyrics. She performed concerts with the most important groups and soloists. Her role effectively was the "instrumentalist of voice". Among the many partners and/or band leaders, like Oscar Peterson, Count Basie ("On the Sunny Side of the Street"), Joe Pass ("Speak love"), Dizzy Gillespie, the Tommy Flanagan Trio, she also sang together with the "other voice" of jazz, Billie Holiday (1957). Porgy and Bess is the most notable of her many recordings with jazz legend Louis Armstrong, but the couple also recorded the very popular "Ella and Louis" which was so successful that Granz's Verve records asked them for the equally successful "Ella and Louis again". Ella Fitzgerald also appeared alongside Peggy Lee as an actress and singer in Jack Webb's jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues. She also appeared in the films Ride 'Em Cowboy, St. Louis Blues, and Let No Man Write My Epitaph. She married twice. In 1941 she married Benny Kornegay, but the marriage was later annulled. Her second husband was the famous bass player Ray Brown. Together they adopted a child, Ray Brown, Jr. Already blinded because suffering from diabetes, she lost her legs in 1993, and in 1996 she died in Beverly Hills, California, after having made some sad last TV appearances. She is interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. Albumsnote: Fitzgerald began releasing albums on the Decca Records label after years of releasing singles.
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Her second husband was the famous bass player Ray Brown. Together they adopted a child, Ray Brown, Jr. Belinda Carlisle had a successful solo career for most of the late 1980s, while Wiedlin did some recording and acting. In 1941 she married Benny Kornegay, but the marriage was later annulled. After the drug treatment, neither could continue with the band anymore; Jane Wiedlin had previously departed. She married twice. In 1985, Caffey underwent treatment to rid herself of the heroin habit, and Carlisle followed suit. Louis Blues, and Let No Man Write My Epitaph. In 1983, a videotape surfaced showing Carlisle and Valentine at a post-gig party at which both were inebriated and uninhibited. She also appeared in the films Ride 'Em Cowboy, St. Around 1983, Carlisle had a $300-a-day cocaine habit, and Caffey had a heroin habit. Ella Fitzgerald also appeared alongside Peggy Lee as an actress and singer in Jack Webb's jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues. Rumor has it that what did in the band was excessive hedonism and drug abuse. Porgy and Bess is the most notable of her many recordings with jazz legend Louis Armstrong, but the couple also recorded the very popular "Ella and Louis" which was so successful that Granz's Verve records asked them for the equally successful "Ella and Louis again". In 1985 (1985 in music) the band broke up. Among the many partners and/or band leaders, like Oscar Peterson, Count Basie ("On the Sunny Side of the Street"), Joe Pass ("Speak love"), Dizzy Gillespie, the Tommy Flanagan Trio, she also sang together with the "other voice" of jazz, Billie Holiday (1957). 1984 saw a return to critical acceptance with the album Talk Show, but sales were poor. She performed concerts with the most important groups and soloists. Her role effectively was the "instrumentalist of voice". The follow-up, however, Vacation, sold well but quickly ran out of momentum. With Ellington's band, Lady Ella (as she was now called by other singers) toured Europe and North America, classically opening their shows with the famous Ellington's hit "Take the 'A' train", of which she was one of the few to sing - in her unique way - the little known lyrics. "Our Lips Are Sealed" and a new version of "We Got the Beat" were extremely popular singles. Among her best known recordings was a series produced by Norman Granz of the songbooks of the great American popular composers, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin (with Nelson Riddle's orchestra), Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, and Duke Ellington. After exchanging Olaverra for Kathy Valentine (the band's sound was turning from punk to pop, and Olaverra's punk persona was becoming a pop liability), the Go-Go's signed to IRS Records and released Beauty and the Beat, which was a surprise hit and topped the charts for six weeks. Ella's later concerts were often enriched by some hilarious imitations of other singers: in particular, she was able to render quite perfectly Marilyn Monroe's voice and typical gestures, as well as Louis Armstrong's. In 1980 (1980 in music), the Go-Gos' "We Got the Beat" became an underground hit. Started as a swing singer, she encompassed bebop, scat, and performed blues, bossa nova, samba, gospel, calypso, and Christmas songs. They have had five top-40 hits. She began her solo career in 1941. They played primarily pop punk and retro-1960s rock. When Chick Webb died in 1939, the band continued touring under the new name, "Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra.". They formed in 1978 and first rose to fame in the ska punk community supporting Madness on tour. She recorded several hit songs with them, including "(If You Can't Sing It), You'll Have to Swing It", but it was her version of the nursery rhyme, "A Tisket A Tasket" that launched her to stardom. The Go-Go's are an all-women band. She was noticed by Bardu Ali of Chick Webb's band, who persuaded Webb to hire her. She started singing with Webb's Orchestra in 1935, in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. Jane Wiedlin, rhythm guitar and backup vocals. Her singing debut was at age 16 in 1934 at the Harlem Apollo Theater, New York, in one of the earliest of its famous "Amateur Nights", which she won, adding fame to both the Apollo and herself. Kathy Valentine (replaced Margot Olaverra in 1980), bass guitar and rhythm guitar. She was left on her own as an orphan at age 14. Gina Schock, drums. She was born in Newport News, Virginia, USA and raised in Yonkers, New York. Belinda Carlisle (real name: Belinda Kurczeski), lead vocals. Gifted with a three-octave vocal range, she is noted for her purity of tone and "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. Charlotte Caffey, lead guitar and keyboards. Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella, was one of the most important jazz singers, and the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards. "Play an Ella ballad with a cat in the room, and the animal will invariably go up to the speaker, lie down and purr." - Geoffrey Fidelman (author of the Ella Fitzgerald biography, First Lady of Song). she'll sound as modern 200 years from now." - Tony Bennett. "Her recordings will live forever.. "She made the mark for all female singers, especially black female singers, in our industry." - Dionne Warwick. Toscanini, who said concerning singers, 'Either you're a good musician or you're not.' In terms of musicianship, Ella Fitzgerald was beyond category." - Duke Ellington. "Her artistry brings to mind the words of the maestro, Mr. There's nobody to take her place." - David Brinkley. "She had a vocal range so wide you needed an elevator to go from the top to the bottom. "I didn't realise our songs were so good until Ella sang them." - Ira Gershwin. "I call her the High Priestess of Song." - Mel Torme. Download sample of "April in Paris" by Fitzgerald with Louis Armstrong. Download sample of "How High the Moon". 1989 All That Jazz. 1986 Easy Living. 1983 Nice Work If You Can Get It. 1983 Speak Love. 1982 The Best Is Yet to Come. 1981 Ella Abraca Jobim. 1979 A Perfect Match. 1979 A Classy Pair. 1979 Digital III at Montreux. 1978 Dream Dancing. 1978 Lady Time. 1977 Montreux '77. Again. 1976 Fitzgerald and Pass.. 1975 Montreux '75. 1975 Ella and Oscar (1975). 1974 Ella in London. 1974 Ella Fitzgerald Jams. 1973 Take Love Easy. 1973 Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall. 1972 Ella Loves Cole. 1971 Ella A Nice. 1970 Ella in Budapest, Hungary. 1970 Things Ain't What They Used to Be. 1969 Ella. 1969 Watch What Happens. 1968 30 by Ella. 1967 Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas. 1967 Brighten the Corner. 1966 [[Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur]. 1966 Whisper Not. 1965 Ella in Hamburg. 1965 Ella at Duke's Place. 1964 Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook. 1964 Hello, Dolly!. 1963 These Are the Blues. 1963 Ella and Basie!. 1963 Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook. 1963 Ella Sings Broadway. 1962 Ella Swings Gently with Nelson. 1962 Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson. 1962 Rhythm Is My Business. 1961 Ella Returns to Berlin. 1961 Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!. 1961 Ella in Hollywood. 1960 Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook. 1960 Sings Songs from Let No Man Write My Epitaph. 1960 Hello, Love. 1960 Wishes You a Merry Christmas. 1960 Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife. 1959 Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook. 1959 Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers. 1959 Get Happy!. 1958 Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert. 1958 Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook. 1958 Ella Swings Lightly. 1958 Ella and Billie at Newport. 1957 Porgy and Bess. 1957 Like Someone in Love. 1957 Ella at the Opera House. 1957 Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook. 1957 Ella and Louis Again. 1956 Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook. 1956 Ella and Louis. 1956 Sings the Cole Porter Songbook. 1955 Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues. 1954 Songs in a Mellow Mood. 1950 Ella Sings Gershwin. |